"My cat is named Odin"

 Oh the things you discover sometimes thanks to old friends. My Italian friend sent me this picture a few months ago and I wanted to share it here. This is the book she read to her two boys during the summer holidays: Il mio gatto si chiama Odino. Translated into English, the title would be "My cat is named Odin". The book is about a black cat with one eye. My long-time readers will remember that I once had a black cat with one eye, also called Odin. I guess I was not entirely original naming him. He was the best of cats and I miss him very much. So I think I need to brush up my Italian and get my hands on that book to read it.

Aquila on Vikings

There's something aout being a parent I did not expect: it means that Wolfie receives more and better mail than me. So yeah, the postman came a few days ago and lo and behold, there was one big envelope in the mail: December's issue of Aquila, the magazine of "big ideas for inquisitive kids". This month's topic is... Vikings. In case you hadn't noticed looking at the gorgeous cover. Also, incidentally, or maybe it's fate, Wolfie's new obsession, because it's their topic at school. I associate Norse mythology with Christmas, because, well, this is pretty much where all its imagery and tropes come from anyway. So this issue is all the more fitting. Wolfie is already reading it eagerly.

Odin, In Memoriam

My long time readers remember Odin the one-eyed black cat who we used to have. He was the best, sweetest cat we ever met. He died ten years ago today. You cna read his eulogy here. We miss him to this day. I had to commemorate his tragic passing.

Odin for Friday the 13th (and Halloween)

For today's countdown to Halloween post, given that it is Friday the 13th, I propose a trip down memory lane: ten years ago, I had a black cat named Odin. he was named because of his right eye that was white due to a cataract. We loved him very much. My wife found an old picture of him recently, taken round this time if year. destiny was calling. I had to share it today, because you need a black cat for Friday the 13th and for Halloween.

A spies' coat of arms

This post is I hope the first of many about police, army and intelligence services around the world. And if you ask me why I am doing this, the answer is simple: just for fun. Anyway, you may know of many intelligence agencies around the world, but maybe not of the Norwegian Intelligence Service, or NIS. I know nothing about them either, except for the very first episode of The Sandbaggers, where they are depicted in a badlight,annoyingly sloppy spies that are borderline amateurs. That said, I wished you could see them in more spy thrillers for one trivial reason: they have a badass coat of arms. You can see on it Odin's ravens Huginn and Muninn (Thought and Memory) and any intelligence service that takes inspiration from Norse mythology is okay in my book. No matter what this coat of arms has to show up in fiction some day.

Viking Bookmark

No, no, I do not have a bookmark from the Viking Age. Actually, I don't think Vikings had bookmarks back in the days. I bought this bookmark at the JORVIK Viking Centre in York. Not the most educational place, to be honest, as the term Viking does not describe a people or an ehtnic group, but a trade, that said it was entertaining all the same. When I visit a place, whether it is a museum or a historical building or a landmark open for tourists, I often buy a bookmark as a souvenir, if there are any available in the gift shop. Some people collect spoons, others collect stamps, I collect bookmarks. So I bought this one, which I found uber cool, nice and sober as well as elegant. I use it when I read any book on Norse mythology. Thus it is already worn out. At the moment I am reading this one, so of course the JORVIK bookmark, or Viking Bookmark as I call it, is the one I use.

A Map of the Nine Realms

I blogged on Wednesday about the world tree Yggdrasil. And I remembered that I had another drawing of the tree in  The Penguin Book of Norse Myths: Gods of the Vikings, with more details of the Nine Realms on it and the mythical creatures. I think I prefer this image to the other. So I decided to share it today, just because it is a very cool picture and a useful map. I intend to blog in more details about the worlds and the creatures pictured on it this year, when I have the time and inspiration. A lot of what you can see here deserves an entry on Vraie Fiction. Anyway, until then, you have a map to find your way if you were traveling between the Nine Worlds. Don't thank me.

Yggdrasil

 As you may remember (fron this post), I have on my reading list The Prose Edda by Snorri Sturluson, which I have sort of started reading, among other books. And in the book there is a drawing of Yggdrasil, the sacred tree that holds the whole universe according to Norse mythology. I love the image. I am now familiar with Yggdrasil, as I have read a lot about Norse mythology and you can generally find a picture of the tree in every book on the subject.What I find cool is that I can now identify some of the critters and characters on it. I am no specialist, but it's still nice to see familiar elements when you read a book.

The Prose Edda

'Tis the season to be reading and I haven't blogged all that much about, well, literary Christmas. I haven't really made one suggestion this year. Well, I have prepared myself to read and reread a lot this Christmas and one book on the list is The Prose Edda by Snorri Sturluson. That's right, I am going Viking this Christmas. Again. Because yeah, we owe the Norse so much of the imagery and the rituals of Christmas, I always love to go back to its most Pagan roots and ennjoy it as Yuletide. So far, I have only explored the Edda indirectly, through adaptations or works inspired by it. This year I will go for the real thing.

Yule

 Today is/was the shortest day of the year, which is the beginning of Yule. Which was the old namefor Christmas. Christmas owes a lot to Yuletide, in its imagery particularly. Santa Claus is in many ways a softer Odin Allfather. Anyway, I try celebrate Christmas as I would Yuletide centuries ago. So happy Yule everyone.

Des "Vikings"(?)

J'ai trouvé parmi mes vieilles photos celle-ci. Si je ne me trompe pas, nous l'avons acheté au Danemark. C'est supposé représenter des Vikings, enfin c'est comme ça que l'on croyait, le guerrier à cheval ne pouvant pas être un Viking, parce qu'un Viking, c'est un marin, pas un groupe ethnique ou culturel, donc ce n'est pas un synonyme de Scandinave. Dans tous les cas, j'ai toujours aimé ces images, parce qu'elles ont un certain air d'authenticité, peu importe le nom que l'on donne aux deux guerrier.

Balder and the Mistletoe

'Tis the season to be reading and troll the ancient Yuletide carols, and so on. It is not Christmas without a healthy dose of Norse mythology, so every year I try to read at least one story from Gods & Heroes from Viking Mythology, usually more. I did not have the chance to read one so far since the beginning of December, but I intend to do it soon. There is one in particular, the story of the death of the god Balder (or Baldr, or Baldur, but the book uses the spelling Balder), which is particularly appropriate for Christmas as the mistletoe is instrumental in Balder's murder. Not exactly cheerful, but the Season does have a dark side.

Odin for Friday the 13th

We are Friday the 13th, so I thought I would share a picture of a black cat, just for the kick of it and because I am not superstitious (or because I do think that old folklore about black cats bringing good luck is true?). Not just any black cat of course: Odin, the black cat we had back in 2013 (fitting isn't it?). I miss him a lot, even now. And I recently found out a bunch of pictures of him I had forgotten I had. So this Friday the 13th is also an excuse to share a "new" picture of my beloved Odin.

Un Viking velu

J'ai pris cette photo lors de notre dernier séjour à la maison familiale. C'est l'un des bibelots qu'on a achetés au Danemark lorsque la famille y est allée, en 1989, une parmi trois figurines de Viking. Elle appartient à l'un de mes frères. Moi j'ai celle-là. Je ne sais pas trop pourquoi je l'ai photographiée, mais j'imagine qu'elle illustre une fascination ancienne pour tout ce qui concerne la mythologie et la culture scandinave. C'est un cliché de Viking: d'abord il a des cornes sur son casque. Les vrais n'en avaient pas. Je ne pense pas non plus qu'ils portaient des manteaux de poils qui se confondaient avec ma barbe (ou alors que leur barbe soit aussi longue). Il a l'air plus sympathique que méchant, ce Viking velu.

A friendly troll

Back in November, I blogged about a troll I found in a shop in York. I mentioned then that I had seen this brand before, in fact that my family bought one when we went to Sweden, years ago (and I know you can also find them in Norway). You can see on the picture the troll in question, much friendlier than one would expect of a troll: this one is maybe no older than a child (a child troll anyway) and is hugging a... dog? Wolf? Fox? Anyway, I always loved Norse folklore and legends and love stories about trolls, whether they are nice or nasty. So it made sense to buy at least one to decorate our home. This one is very cute in an ugly way. I decided to take a picture during my last time at my parents' home and share it here. I never found a name for him. If you have any suggestions, you make them in the comments. Although a troll might not need a name at all?

Norse Myths on my reading list

'Tis the season to be reading and as Yuletide is coming I have been reading books related to the season. And of course I share my suggestion on this blog. Today's suggestion: The Penguin Book of Norse Myths: Gods of the Vikings. I actually haven't read it yet. My wife bought it for me last Christmas as she knows I love Norse mythology and I particularly enjoy it during Christmastime. What does Norse mythology have to do with Christmas? Everything! Everything of it's imagery and traditions, that is: the mistletoe, Santa Claus (that's Odin Allfather), the date we celebrate, the Christmas tree (Yggdrasil), it all comes down to them. So this is why you have me going on about it a lot these days. And I can barely wait to read this book.

Norse Mythology for Christmas

For me, Christmas is also time to read about Norse myths. It is a tradition and every year I read a story or two of Gods & Heroes from Viking Mythology, from where I got this image. No, these are not Santa's little helpers. These are the dwarves Brokk and Sindri and they are creating various artifacts, including a magic ring, a magic boar and Thor's hammer Mjölnir. Way cooler than what the Magi gave to Jesus. I will also read another book of Norse mythology, which I will blog about in the coming weeks. These reads will as usual fuel my imagination for Dungeons & Dragons as hopefully we should play a game or two, if we find time.

A troll in York

I took this picture in a shop in York, you can see here a proper Scandinavian troll. The monster, mind you, not the Internet creature. This one looks very much friendly (not to mention clean, with his reddish cheeks and nose) to be much of a monster. I love trolls and other mythological critters, especially from Norse folklore. I was very tempted to buy it, but he was too big for the flat we had back then, or to bring home. I actually knew that brand of trolls already: my family bought a similar one in Sweden, with the same colours and features. If I remember correctly, it is a Norwegian brand. All the same, I want to start a collection, but we still don't have much space here.

Friday the 13th, black cats and Halloween

Halloween this year falls on a Tuesday, which is not great. But we can console ourselves that it means that we have one Friday the 13th this month. Which is today. For those who like Friday the 13th anyway. But in any case, it's a good excuse as any to show pictures of black cats. There cannot be a Friday the 13th without black cats, Halloween would not be Halloween without black cats either, so I am sharing a picture of our beloved cat Odin, who sadly passed away four years ago. I shared this picture before, but I don't have so many of them.

Time for some Norse mythology?

I took this picture from Gods & Heroes from Viking Mythology, but I am not blogging about this book in particular which I intend to blog about. I just thought that it fits the post well, and we cannot have enough of Giovanni Caselli's art on this blog. My wife bought me a book of Norse mythology for Christmas and I am wondering if I should not put it next on my reading list. It will make a change from the crime fiction I read this time of year and I miss playing Dungeons & Dragons. Reading old sagas is both a source of inspiration for future games (whenever they will happen) and a way to quench my need for playing. Also, I always want to know more about mythologies.